Distinguished Achievement Awards
2026 Distinguished Achievement Award in Service Recipient
Deanna Tran, PharmD, BCACP, FAPhA
Deanna Tran, PharmD, BCACP, FAPhA, is a director of member relations at the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. She was an associate professor at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy and APhA–ASP co-advisor for 14 years. She has held multiple leadership positions within APhA including APPM member-at-large, Immunizing Pharmacists SIG coordinator, and NPAC member-at-large. During her tenure at the University of Maryland, she was a preceptor for Safeway Pharmacy/University of Maryland’s PGY1 community-based pharmacy residency program and coach for Community Pharmacy Enhanced Services Networks (CPESN)-DMV (Maryland, DC, Delaware). As a board-certified ambulatory care pharmacist, Tran has expertise in family medicine, transitions of care, and anticoagulation. Her interests span professional development of student pharmacists, vaccine hesitancy, and community-based pharmacy services. She is a recipient of numerous honors, including APhA–ASP Outstanding Chapter Advisor, Baltimore Business Journal’s 40 Under 40, and Maryland Pharmacists Association Mentor Award. She received her degree from the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy in 2011 and subsequently completed a PGY1 Community Pharmacy Residency with Virginia Commonwealth University.
Amy K. Kennedy, PharmD, BCACP, BC-ADM, FAPhA
Amy K. Kennedy is an associate clinical professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science at the University of Arizona R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy and clinical pharmacist at El Rio health center. Her scholarship interests include preventive health, professional development, the scholarship of teaching and learning and the pharmacist’s role in caring for the underserved. Kennedy graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with her PharmD in 2008. She completed her community pharmacy practice residency and community participatory research fellowship at Virginia Commonwealth University in 2010. Her clinical focus is family medicine where she sees patients under a collaborative practice agreement. She has been an active member of APhA since 2004.
About
These awards recognize individuals who have made a significant or sustained contribution to pharmacy practice
and have advanced the missions of APhA and pharmacy practice. Up to two recognitions will be presented each
year, and the individual awards will be as follows: Distinguished Achievement in Pharmacy Practice, and
Distinguished Achievement in Service. In any given year, one or two awards will be presented in any
combination as determined by the APhA Pharmacist Award Team.
Criteria
Nominees must be a pharmacist member of APhA. Remington Medalists are not eligible for these awards. All
Distinguished Achievement Award nominations will be evaluation based upon the
following criteria (listed alphabetically; not in rank order):
APhA-related activities
Awards and recognition
Community service
Participation in other professional associations
Impact on practice & profession within nominee’s focus area (pharmacy practice/pharmacy
management/service)
Nomination process
The nominator is responsible for submitting a complete award nomination.
The nomination is to include the following items:
A letter of nomination describing the most important achievements of the nominee and explaining why the
nominee meets the criteria for the award
One letter of recommendation from someone other than the nominator is required, up to two letters
accepted
A current curriculum vitae or detailed résumé
Selection process
The selection is made by the APhA Pharmacist Awards Selection Committee based upon careful review of the
complete nominations and criteria as listed above. Particular attention will be given to the individual’s
impact on the profession.
Nature of award
The award is presented at the APhA Annual Meeting & Exposition and consists of a crystal recognition
piece. The recipient also receives a complimentary APhA Annual Meeting registration and reimbursement for
meeting-related travel expenses, according to current travel policies and up to the maximum amount budgeted
by APhA.
Distinguished Achievement in Pharmacy Practice
Kayce M. Shealy
Kayce M. Shealy received her bachelor of science degree from Newberry College, her Doctor of
Pharmacy degree from the University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy, and completed a community pharmacy
residency with the University of Georgia at Barney's Pharmacy in Augusta, GA. Dr. Shealy is board-certified in
pharmacotherapy and is also a certified diabetes care and education specialist. She joined the faculty at
Presbyterian College School of Pharmacy in 2010 and she has served in several administrative roles, including
department chair, associate dean, and acting dean for the program. In January 2025, she transitioned to the
South Carolina Board of Pharmacy as the Board Executive/Chief Drug Inspector. Dr. Shealy is an advocate for the
profession and has served in various capacities with the American Pharmacists Association, American Association
of Colleges of Pharmacy, American College of Clinical Pharmacy, American Society of Health Systems Pharmacists,
and the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists. She is a former president of the South Carolina
Pharmacy Association (SCPhA), and has served as a co-coordinator with SCPhA for grant initiatives. Dr. Shealy
has numerous publications related to women’s health, diabetes, and public health. She is the mother to 3 awesome
kids—Kate who loves the limelight; Jack who loves all things baseball, and James who loves to express himself
through art. She lives with her kids and husband Brian in Leesville, SC.
Past Recipients
2025 Wendy S. Mobley-Bukstein
2019 Kimberly C. McKeirnan
2015 Allison M. Dering-Anderson and Dominic A. Solimando
2013 Janelle F. Ruisinger
Distinguished Achievement in Service
The nominee has made significant or sustained contributions in the area of service to their community, their state,
or the national level. Service activities would include community service, service to the profession, and service to
APhA. The nominee has mentored and inspired individuals to participate in service activities and through their
leadership have contributed to the development of future advocates for the profession.
Past recipients:
2018 Emily Prohaska and Melissa Skelton Duke
2016 Kimberly Sasser Croley and Amy Lugo
2015 Duann V. Thislethwaite
2013 Charles J. Broussard
Distinguished Achievement in Pharmacy Management
The nominee has made significant or sustained contributions in the area of pharmacy management. The nominee has
engaged in or encouraged others to pursue scholarly activities (publications, poster/podium presentations, expert
review panel participation) and practical pharmacy research that has had a significant impact on the quality of
patient care and/or cost containment.
Past recipients:
Academy of Pharmacy Practice and Management Distinguished Achievement Award in Administrative Practice
Academy of Pharmacy Practice and Management Distinguished Achievement Award in Clinical / Pharmacotherapeutic
Practice
1969 George F. Archambault
2006 Magaly Rodriguez de Bittner
2005 Daniel E. Buffington
2004 Jean-Venable R. Goode
1999 Terrence Schwinghammer
1995 Mary Anne Koda-Kimble
Academy of Pharmacy Practice and Management Distinguished Achievement Award in Community and Ambulatory Practice
2005 Matthew C. Osterhaus
2003 Judith B. Sommers Hanson
Academy of Pharmacy Practice and Management Distinguished Achievement Award in Hospital and Institutional Practice
2001 Dominic A. Solimando, Jr.
Academy of Pharmacy Practice and Management Distinguished Achievement Award in Specialized Pharmacy Practice
Return to Main Awards Page